NOAA 13, a U.S.A. meteorological spacecraft, was launched from
Vandenberg Air Force Base by an Atlas-E rocket. It carried instruments
to monitor atmosphere and clouds; also on board were instruments to
monitor energetic electrons and protons. It has relaying capability
for data gathered from floating buoys, balloons, and remote ground
stations. There have been no radio communications with the spacecraft
since August 21, 1993, because of failure of power from the solar
panels to the instruments. Initial orbital parameters are period 102
min, apogee 876 km, perigee 860 km, and inclination 98.9 km.